Allison Pond is the national edition editor for the Deseret News. She previously worked for the Pew Research Center on national and international surveys, including studies of young people and religion, Mormons in the U.S. and evangelical leaders worldwide. She earned a master’s degree from Georgetown University in Public Policy with an emphasis in educational, family and social policy and a BA from Brigham Young University in Communications with an emphasis in print journalism.

Some girls in rural areas of northern India aren’t allowed to leave their homes, let alone get an education or have work opportunities. But one local charity is trying to change that by giving them skills...

Editor's note: This article is the first in a two-part series looking at the mainstream media's efforts to cover religion. Part two examines how newsrooms, educators and nonprofit organizations are finding new